Here we focus on the definition of what a Total Value Proposition is and what it is not. The difference between companies that are thriving and those struggling to survive is how well they harness and align their value to customers. There is a widening gap between what companies offer and sell and what customers actually value and are willing to pay for. You can start to close this gap by truly understanding what your customers value, looking at your products or services and how you interact with customers – this determines your single ‘customer truth’.

1. From Value Propositions to Sales Propositions
the first of four extracts from a white paper of the same name
Harnessing Your Customer Truth
Part 1

2. www.futurecurve.com
Why don’t your customers value what you offer?
Organisations face four key issues that stop them
giving customers what they value:
 They misunderstand what a value proposition is
 They only partially comprehend how customers
perceive value
 They often use an outdated value proposition
 Sales teams are forced to create sales propositions
in a vacuum

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A value proposition is not what you think
In many organisations, a value proposition is seen as one of the following:
 New name for a marketing story or statement
 Unique selling point
 Positioning statement
 List of benefits
 Product or service
 Magic sales ‘silver bullet’
A value proposition is none of these things in isolation – some of these will come
from your value proposition

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Definition of a true value proposition
The total value proposition is the sum of
the offerings and experiences
delivered to your customers, during all
their interactions with your organisation

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Value goes beyond the rational
We know, from more than a decade of
focusing on customer research and value
proposition development, that the
behaviours and emotions of customers
fundamentally impact how they interact
with, and buy from, your organisation.
This is equally true in both B2B and B2C
organisations.

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Ten years ago: one generic value proposition to the majority of
customers who were in the middle
RelationshipTransaction
“We’ll give you a little advice, help
and service in exchange for slightly
better margins.”
Adapted from and thanks to Neil Rackham

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Today: customers want one of two generic value propositions
“We’ll offer you
cheap and
convenient
products, but don’t
expect extras.”
“We’ll use our expertise to bring you
insights, solve your problems and
co-create custom solutions with
you, for which we’ll charge you a
premium.”
You must decide which end to play RelationshipTransaction
Adapted from and thanks to Neil Rackham

8. Contact us
This is Part One of an extract from the Futurecurve
White Paper, ‘Harnessing Your Customer Truth: From
Value Propositions to Sales Propositions’
Click this link to download the whole white paper
Please say hello @futurecurve
And visit our website: www.futurecurve.com
e. cindybarnes@futurecurve.com
t. +44 (0)1628 487 708